My $400 LS Registry

[BrianDye]

So I've put a couple hundred miles on it now...the drive really isn't bad when there isnt wind, the "floating" feeling I mean. Definitely could use an alignment and wheel balance but I know I'd need ball joints for the alignment.

Few other things, no more airbag light, ever. I think I'll hold off on the battery, as it seems to be holding a charge perfectly, even with the delayed headlights and sitting there with the radio on when I get to work or something.

I was hearing this terrible sounding noise yesterday when I left for work, but only at low speeds. I finally stopped and looked, couldn't see anything, so I looked in the wheel and noticed a huge chunk of the chrome cladding(?) peeling from the inside of the wheel so it was making this rubbing/scraping noise against the brake caliper. Pulled it off and all was well.

I accidentally hit the rear pass window button when I went to roll the front window down. That window works fine now...rolled it up and down probably 5-6 times between the past two days no issues. Still hesitant though as I don't want it to get stuck down.

My automatic wipers weren't working, so I unplugged the module on the windshield so I could have regular intermittent settings (if anyone didn't know- if you unplug the connector on the auto sensing eye near the mirror, your intermittent settings work like normal wipers- as they weren't automatic. With it plugged in, I believe it changes the sensitivity or something of how often it wipes IF it detects water.

When I unplugged mine, I noticed it was barely clinging to the window, so it wasn't getting a good reading. I'll have to find something to reattach it with, because when it did/does work, I really enjoy that feature.

Heated and AC seats work ALOT better now. Remember before, I mentioned there was like a 2 minute or so delay before I really felt anything. Now it's within 20 seconds.

Trans is also shifting better. I'm not sure why, but it is. As long as I don't stomp on it, It shifts pretty darn good. 1-2 is pretty smooth, sometimes I feel like it's holding 1 too long though. 2-3 sometimes feels harsh, and into 4th is really odd, kind of shutters going in if I'm accelerating faster than usual. 4-5 is smooth as butter always.

Oh, and my coolant temps from wherever the OBD2 pulls them from stay right at 205, give or take a degree. Really steady.

 

[BrianDye]

Well....

Glad I signed up for AAA.

Driving home from work tonight around 3:30AM, defroster on low since it's real humid out from all the rain. I start smelling this sweet smell. Coolant of course. So I slowly merge into the left lane just in case I started overheating or something. Kept going a mile or so, eyes glued to the temp needle. Sure enough I see it slowly start rising. Pulled over immediately and killed the motor, called a coworker for a ride who wasn't far behind me. Gonna get ahold of AAA in the am and see how it works to use the towing.

I popped the hood, there's coolant everywhere. Well, mostly on the drivers side. I can't see any apparent leaks or damaged hoses unfortunately so I have no idea where it came from. I snapped a few pictures I will upload and post tomorrow. Hopefully it's just some of the old plastic parts being shot. Guess they weren't in good shape. (Cheers Joe- have a cold one and say "I told you so!" )

Oh well, I'm not too upset. I still have my Explorer, I'm very thankful this happened before I turned it back in.

 

[BrianDye]

So after sitting there for over two hours waiting for the tow truck Thursday night after work, got it dropped back off at my house. Didn't get home until after 6am and then probably in bed around 7, so I slept basically until it was time for work. Didn't have any time to poke around under the hood.

My A pillar is leaking like a SOB so I have been using a large McDonald's cup to catch the water. I popped the A pillar off so the water doesn't run down and drop into the dash and wiring. Gonna have to figure out what's leaking. It's bad.
I backed it into the garage just now when I got home from work, didn't have my toolbox, and I'm tired as hell, but I want to figure out what the hell I need to order.

I got the intake tube and filter off, the majority of the spilled coolant is around the lower radiator hose. However, I see absolutely no cracks, holes or anywhere it actually leaked from. I'm at a loss. Will have to tear more into it tomorrow. Is that the only coolant part in that general area? (The lower radiator hose that goes to the bottom of the rad from the thermostat housing and then splits off for the oil cooler)

I will post some pics tomorrow. Imgur updated and I hate the new layout, doesn't make sense to me. Photobucket is still a POS and errors out.

 

[BrianDye]

 

[joegr]

Lot's of coolant parts in that area. It's the most common gen II leak area.
http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/forum/showthread.php?91092-GenII-LS8-Cooling-System-Overhaul

There are four drain hoses from the sunroof. One goes down each of the A and C pillars. The hose shrinks or something and pulls loose of the sunroof drain tube. Eventually, the other three will as well. You'll need some hose, some couplers, and some clamps.
https://www.google.ca/search?as_q=s...f+leak+site:http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/

 

[BrianDye]

Thanks for the links Joe. It didn't even come to mind about the sunroof drains. Ill be tackling that tomorrow, looks like its gonna be fun.

Anyways, I went and pulled the lower radiator hose off (Which I thought was the culprit) and couldn't find anything compromised. Tried to rig some type of "pressure" test just using my water hose, no leaking.

So im poking my head around, stumped.

Then I see this...

Whatever the hell is supposed to go right there, is gone. Just a wide open hole off the thermostat assembly...

 

[BrianDye]

Looking at the Dorman part pictures (NO! I am not buying a Dorman replacement, it was just the first one I found with pictures)

It looks as if some cap/stopper popped off. Probably lightly glued in place, you know with it being such a good design. /sarcasm

All the way on the left:

Im trying to piece together all these parts, theres so many different threads mentioning so many different parts. -_-

Im not removing the intake assembly, so ill loosen those screws on that elbow and then cut the bolt heads off, and replace them with slightly shorter ones (grind them down maybe).

I have a discount from RockAuto burning a hole in my pocket so i'm going to order a few parts of this from them, and on top of that, they are cheaper than buying from FordPartsGiant (Same exact parts and numbers, as well as being Motorcraft)

 

[BrianDye]

So heres what I have:


Degas bottle
Degas bottle cap
Main engine fill cap
Upper rad hose
Lower rad hose
Whole thermostat assy (water inlet, outlet, 94n99 elbow) as well as 4 new bolts, and the O-rings/seals.

Also saw some people replacing the hose that runs underneath the intake manifold, but its a rubber hose. Im gonna go out on a limb to save a few bucks and skimp on that. I really can't afford to buy this stuff right now, but I really want this car on the road, and reliable, so im biting the bullet on this stuff. Between RockAuto's few parts, and the rest from FPG, its around just under $600.

Joe - Have you heard of anyone having problems with that hose? Its around $40, and adds another $6 or so to shipping (FPG shipping prices are absurd!) Part number: 3W4Z-9F814-AA

 

[1LoudLS]

that is exactly the same thing that happened that started my coolant problems and system replacement.

the drivers side end cap on the coolant crossover tube just blew clean off... it wasn't a part that was glued on, it looks like it was part of the original mold, but as something common that almost every LS owner will have to deal with one day, the coolant parts just get brittle enough that sooner or later they are going to give out.


The good news is that at least with your failure, there is no question of whether or not a part is leaking... the worst thing ever is trying to tell somebody that their parts are failing and all they keep telling you that they dont see any leaks :Bang

 

[BrianDye]

You aren't kidding! I've shared so many tips I've learned from Joe over on the FB group when people post and they just argue.

Many posts a day about overheating no leaks blah blah. I chime in and share some info on the plastic cooling parts degrading over time and need to all be replaced and just get a sh*t storm of no nothing's leaking it's my "fans" I can't hear them running, no I just replaced it with dorman etc.

 

[heyjewel]

You aren't kidding! I've shared so many tips I've learned from Joe over on the FB group when people post and they just argue.

Many posts a day about overheating no leaks blah blah. I chime in and share some info on the plastic cooling parts degrading over time and need to all be replaced and just get a sh*t storm of no nothing's leaking it's my "fans" I can't hear them running, no I just replaced it with dorman etc.

Brian;

Hello. I read this whole thread today. I can definitely empathize with you as I have 3 LSes. Only two are running right now. My original that I bought new in '01 with the getrag manual tranny is up on jackstands awaiting an engine. The other two I've been doing a lot of work on including fixing the auto tranny on one. I replaced the solenoid pack and IIRC it was under $100. There's a great writeup somewhere on here explaining some of the gotchas with the tranny. Search on 5R55N if interested.

Now a couple of other questions:

Having read about all the things you've replaced on the car, I'm wondering if maybe the original ad might have read "... needs everything BUT an engine."

And have u figured out yet what your $400 LS has cost thus far? Or would you rather not?

I'll try to be more helpful in the future if I can. joegr is the brain trust here as you've already learned.

Best

George

 

[BrianDye]

I appreciate the offer to help, you definitely aren't wrong about Joe. He deserves an award.

Cost? You know I've been asked that a few times. I've been meaning to tally everything up, but I look at it two ways. 1. Cost of the car plus parts it HAD to have to run/drive. 2. Cost of the car plus parts it HAD to have, plus parts that were "well, I'm down there, I'll replace this too."
1. Would be under $1500
2. I believe would be close to or slightly over $1500.

The way I look at it though, just about any LS for sale that's not absurdly over priced needs a lot of the stuff I've done to mine, but the odometer would show a few less miles. I'll take that trade off

My tranny is the 5r55s I believe which is different from the N (not sure what's different). The solenoid pack from FPG is just under $300, aside from money, the biggest thing holding me back is not knowing a single thing about transmissions. Plus this one needs a special tool/fittings(?) to fill, which I'm sure I don't have. However, it has to be done. Don't think I'd even want a quote from a trans shop to put it in for me.

One day when my finances are better and my credit is on the rise, I hope to pick up a black on black 2006 with low miles, and be spotless. This LS is just kind of like my work beater for now while I pay some debt off and work on my credit.

 

[joegr]

...
Joe - Have you heard of anyone having problems with that hose? Its around $40, and adds another $6 or so to shipping (FPG shipping prices are absurd!) Part number: 3W4Z-9F814-AA

Yes, me. It cracked on one of mine (I'm no longer sure which one). I know it shouldn't have, but it did.

 

[BrianDye]

Parts are ordered. Will probably take a vacation day from work the day they are supposed to get here.

Im off today, so I will try and yank off as much as possible for now, so its ready to go when they get here. Next week I will order the trans solenoid.

I had to throw a few shots back to spend that money tonight, otherwise I think I was just going to stare at my cart(s) online, lol. Drove my Explorer the past two days, its nice driving something that doesnt vibrate at highway speeds, and shift funky if I step on it, but man the luxury of the LS interior, nice and quiet, V8 sounding so good, I need to get back inside of her

Will probably take it to a shop for an inspection one day when the coolant parts are done, see what all they say could use replacing, order it, and change them out. Im thinking I could use wheel bearings. Does the LS have a one-piece hub like my Explorer, or do I have to have the old bearings pressed out/in?

 

[BrianDye]

Is there supposed to be a hose on this exposed nipple?

My degas bottle had 3 nipples/outlets but only two hoses. Im assuming thats like a pressure blow off or something, if the cap releases pressure it escapes through there. My Explorer's have had those, but theres a hose on them that runs down somewhere.

 

[joegr]

Nope. It's closed off. It's just there to hold the heater bleed tube up where you can get to it.

 

[RigsLS]

You may want to clean that up a bit underhood,
it's supposed to look like this ...

+1

Just say No! to the nipple!

 

[BrianDye]

Oh god to clean that engine bay would be more work than everything I've replaced on this car. My next LS will be that clean though. That ones gonna be a spotless, low mileage garage queen. Wouldn't even care if I had to go down south to pick it up.

I'll tell you though it's 1000x cleaner than it was when I bought it. I power washed the engine bay lightly before I even put coils on it. It was covered in dirt. Couple of dirt roads back in the day where the previous owner lived.

I am cleaning parts as I go though. The wiper arms are getting a good sanding and fresh coat of paint as well. They're bad. Oh, and the brittle "L" plastic connector that the squirter hose comets to snapped too so I have to find a replacement piece there too. Didn't know the LS had three squirters, thought that was interesting.

 

[BrianDye]

The love I have for these cars is gonna cause me financial issues! Saw a guy on FB parting ways with two of them, one has a salvage title but is nearly spotless, black 04 LSE. Hes asking $1500, said it runs and drives great. 125k on it, i'm talking to him now about a few parts but then I asked whats his bottom dollar for the whole car. He said $1000 without the engine and trans. Not bad if its a real LSE. (Not sure yet if it just has LSE bumper or what)

I might go check it out. I want the LSE bumpers, but at the same time, I don't know how much money I want to put into my 03, probably smarter to just get it mechanically sound and then drive it until the engine or trans fails. That '04 would look nice in my garage as a summer car though...

 

[BrianDye]

Nope, come to find out, he's already sold the grill, and was keeping the LSE bumper cover. He has another one he'd throw on, but its silver, and cracked up pretty good.

Plus he finally answered about the salvage issue. Said it was rear ended, messed the trunk up, got it fixed and then it got side swiped so it was totaled out twice or something. Ill pass.

I am asking him though about trading wheels and center console lid covers. My wheels are pretty stained up and peeling, his need two tires but are in fantastic shape.

 

[BrianDye]

So upon browsing RockAuto some more, I found out that you can't replace the upper ball joints, you have to replace the whole control arm?

So I would like to do an overhaul. I doubt any of my suspension components have been replaced in many years due to the looks of the boot on the upper ball joint I saw.

Sorry if this is a dumb question, I asked something similar before but didn't really get a straight answer.
What all should I order? Wheel bearings (I believe the fronts are built into the hub and the whole hub needs to be replaced?), upper control arms with the ball joint, lower control arm with ball joint(?), wheel bearings for the rear, rear toe links (I have no idea what that even is) but RockAuto doesn't list ANYTHING for the rear. Is that all I can/should replace back there? I see a few on eBay, what brands are good?

My shocks/struts(?) seem to be okay. No bounce, wobble, soft feeling, etc.

Also will be replacing the brake rotors and pads. Mine stop great, but are ungodly rusty from sitting as long as it did, and the rust is definitely degrading performance.

How involved is this process, is its just like most other cars, typical work with some busted knuckles and cuss words, or is it a hell of a job on the LS? Wondering if it'd be worth it to buy the parts and then take it to a shop.

 

[joegr]

Well, I think there are many opinions on this, and it really depends on you.
You could preemptively replace it all, and that would be great. However, my own opinion on that is that If I was willing to do that, I would just get a new car every three years. In fact, I did that for a while, but not now. Now, I replace parts when they fail, or when they warn that they are going to fail. So far, I have had enough warning that I haven't been stranded.

Specifics for you for now:

1. Front hubs: I see no reason to replace them if they are smooth and not making noise. I have over 155K on mine on my 06. However, one on the 04 had to be replaced before 100K miles, and the other at about 170K miles. Take the front wheels and rotors off. Spin each. If either is "crunchy" then replace it, otherwise it may outlast the rest of the car.

2. Shocks: (They are coil-over-shocks, not struts. Struts don't have upper control arms.) You can't get the good ones anymore. My understanding is that the worn out factory shocks are still better than the new aftermarket ones.

3. Control arms and other suspension parts: Normally, I would wait till they make noise or show symptoms of poor handling. I think you get plenty of such warning before any wheels fall off. Unfortunately, you already have symptoms. If you can't narrow it down to which part(s) are causing it, you'll have to go after them all. I'd start with the rear toe links. After that, the front lower control arms. Of course, if you are doing those, it is easier to go ahead and replace the uppers as well. You'll have to replace the Knuckle to get the lower ball joints.

A couple of cautions:

1. You much replace the nyloc nuts. You can't reuse them (if you try, then at least clean them and use Loctite). Members have had stuff fall off (including wheels) by reusing the nuts. Most of the suspension is aluminum. It expands and contracts, so you can't count on tightness alone to keep the nuts on.

2. The bushings on the control arms are a little odd. You must go by the shop manual procedure which requires that the suspension be loaded to the same position as it normally is at rest, before the bolts on the bushings are tightened. Otherwise, the handling will be bad and the bushings will be damaged. They twist instead of turning/sliding.

Some on here have pressed new bushings and ball joints in, instead of replacing whole control arms and knuckles. AFAIK, this has worked out for them. The shop manual says not to do this because the stressed aluminum may suddenly crack later. (Steal doesn't have this problem.)

 

[BrianDye]

I have had to do wheel bearings on almost every used vehicle i've bought, so I guess now it just kind of seems like a "must-do" everytime I get a different vehicle. (Including my 2006 Explorer, which needed 3 by 80k) I will get it on stands this week/weekend and really tear into it and see what I NEED, vs what I want.

Thanks for the great info, again. The lack of replacement (or should I say, "good" replacement) parts really scares me. I know this specific LS won't be around long enough to need a complete overhaul, but I would love to pick up a mint black on black 06 later next year, but it seems as if this car is just meant to die and not come back. The lack of aftermarket or OEM parts is horrible. I love these damn things.

Im gonna take my wheels off in the next couple days, pull all the peeling chrome crap off the inside of the wheel, and then take them to go get balanced. Thats a huge thing that needs to be done before driving it again anyways, as it has a pretty nasty vibration above 55-60. (Not terrible, but its annoying as all hell) That might make the steering feel much better too.

At a bare minimum, im gonna do the upper control arms, brakes all around, and the rear toe links.

Do you happen to know what size the wiper squirter hose is? I need to order a couple of couplers for when I put my cowl back on, one of them snapped, and the rest look just as brittle.

 

[joegr]

...Do you happen to know what size the wiper squirter hose is? I need to order a couple of couplers for when I put my cowl back on, one of them snapped, and the rest look just as brittle.

Sorry, no I don't. I've had a few of the couplers and a few of the tees break, but I have a box of assorted fittings of assorted sizes that I just grab from when another one breaks.
I do think that there are two different sizes of hoses being used.

 

[BrianDye]

No prob. Ill just cut a small section and bring it into the hardware store. Im slowly acquiring my own box of fittings and such, but nothing this small. My girlfriends Fusion needs them as well, and thats an 09 with 50k on it.